Glaciers of Haven
by RexRock
Summary: [NOW NOVELISED!] A Christmas story showing my viewpoint on how Torn left the Krimzon Guard. Please R&R!


-AUTHOR'S NOTES-

Okay, so I know it's four months yet until Christmas, but I seriously had to edit this. It's for two purposes – going around and changing everything from script format to novel format due to the site's latest rules, and seeing if I can alter some elements of the story to better fit the time scale for "Sacred Destinies" and "The Dangers of Tomorrow".

This Christmas based fanfic showed my thoughts on how Torn left the Krimzon Guard. It was originally written for a contest, yet it never really got moving. Oh well…

I know it's too warm to say "Merry Christmas" just yet, but at least accept it for what it is.

Peace out,

-Rexy-

---

Haven City stood as a bustling town, with its buildings shining within the bright skies of the day. The people down below started to go about their daily business among the surface of the ground, heading into each others' houses ready to meet their demands. But their faces seemed to be far from the usual miserable sight usually shown on them.

-**FAN FICTION PRESENTS-**

The tallest building in the city – a large palace that stood right in the middle of it – overlooked the citizens, and was covered with large amounts of tinsel among its support towers. On the door of the palace itself, a large holly wreath was seen hanging among the door.

-A fanfic by RexRock-

As time passed, several guards in red suits started walking their way up and down the segment, looking around for any signs of troublemakers among the scene. Some of which had holly among the tops of their headwear, showing their festive spirit. After going around the palace, they started heading their way down to the southern part of the city.

-**GLACIERS OF HAVEN-**

A large statue stood near the palace, labelled "To Our Ruler Baron Praxis" in bright gold letters. Underneath it, a figure with brown-orange dreadlocks and grey markings covering his face was seen making his way among the streets, with a white plastic bag held tightly around his hands.  
"Ashelin!!!"  
His cries echoed among the city streets, leaving no response. He looked on at the palace for himself, and started heading towards it for himself. His clothes were brought into full view – he was seen wearing a similar uniform to the guards that patrolled the area. And then… he brought himself right towards the palace, where the door opened up in front of him.  
"Ashelin, where are you? I've got good news to report to you!"  
He started making his way in, looking around the hallways. A Christmas tree stood in a corner on the right, and the whole ceiling was covered in chains holding golden bells among the top. From there, Torn brought himself up into an upright position, and started heading his way deep inside the building.  
"Ash! Over here! It's me, Torn!"  
He reached a lift, and used it to reach the top of the tower. The doors opened up right at the top, and as soon as he made his way in… a figure stepped out in front of him. He was wearing yellow and navy dress, with a mask over his ginger hair that spiked out behind his head and his brown eyes.  
"So we meet again, eh shorty!" he sneered at him.  
"Erol!"  
He jumped at the sight of him, before he took a few sidesteps among the walls leading towards a pair of wooden doors. As soon as he got there, they opened up, showing a chapel covered in navy blue walls and a red carpet leading towards an empty throne. He looked deep down at it, and back at Erol.  
"What brings you to this part of the Palace?" Torn growled at him.  
"Why should you bother asking me, freak?"  
He brought his hands tightly around Torn's collar, before lifting him off the ground and leering at him, leaving his face to show fright. And then, he released his grip, leaving him to drop down towards the ground. That left him to turn and show his back towards the brown haired guard.  
"I see that you've grown strong since you've first signed up a few years ago", Erol lightly sneered. "But then again, I think that's Baron Praxis pulling his leg again. He'd bargain for any old wuss to join the guard these days."  
"Keep the Baron out of this!!!" Torn shouted with a growl.  
The shout caused Erol to give off a light chuckle from his mouth, before he continued walking his way over towards the lifts, with his shadow extending as he went further away from the light and into the darkness of the escalator platform. As soon as he did so, he turned to face Torn once again.  
"Heh… if you don't prove your worth by Boxing Day, then I'll escort you to the Pumping Station so that the Metal Heads can eat you alive!"  
He gave off a sinister chuckle, before the doors closed right in front of him and he started heading down towards the Palace's entrance hallway. The sound left Torn to hold onto his fists with anger showing right across him, before he brought his head up high towards the ceiling above him.  
"Damn show off", Torn sighed. "Who needs him?"  
With that, he kicked the air lightly and started heading towards a door on the right, heading deeper within the palace. He held onto his plastic bag tighter when he went further into the palace, wanting to see this "Ashelin" figure that he mentioned out in the streets. A corner later left him starting to go down a hallway covered in complete darkness.

---

It wasn't long until he saw himself opening the contents of the plastic bag, and taking out a small navy container, giving it to a girl with deep red hair and similar markings and clothing to Torn's. She opened it, and a beautiful sapphire ring was shown in front of her. Her emerald green eyes started to light up and a smile was brought on her face.  
"Oh, it's beautiful!" she gasped. "Thank you so much, Torn!"  
"Ashelin, I'm just doing my job."  
He gave out a smile towards her, before he started making his way towards a nearby window. Snow started to come by the windows, smearing down the glass at regular intervals. From nearby, Ashelin looked on at him with a straight face starting to show right across hers, knowing that he must have faced a problem.  
"Besides, I had a few problems delivering it to you earlier today."  
She gave out a blink. "Don't tell me it's Erol again, is it?"  
She brought herself closer towards him and placed both arms around his arms. While that happened, Torn's attention was brought out to the darkened skies, and his own reflection brought upon the window. He then turned against it and walked towards another side of the room.  
"That know-it-all thinks that he owns the place", he grunted. "Wonder what made him like that to begin with…!"  
"My father told me he's been in the guard since it started out nearly 10 years ago," she started with a shrug, "so who knows what that did to him."  
Torn came to a stop, and looked back at her and her straight face. She was seen coming closer towards them, ready to place her hands back around his shoulders. And then she did so, giving him a warm look across his face. And then, a smile started to show up across hers back.  
"But it's not that that matters", she smiled. "As long as you're doing your job, that'll do fine."  
She brought her lips up towards his mouth, and gave in a light kiss, leaving him to show a broader smile upon his face. Then, she released her grip, and started making her way towards the exit of the room, back into the darkened corridors that lead back to the lifts leading outside.  
"I'll meet you tomorrow, soldier."  
And then, she soon managed to bring herself out of sight. From there, Torn looked across at the ceiling and took a closer look at his own reflection. The city itself didn't seem to look any better, leaving him to give off a sigh and look down at the floor, looking more tormented than ever.  
"I should have mentioned Boxing Day to her…" he started shaking. "I can barely imagine what's gonna happen out there!"  
With that, he took a hold on his head and started heading out of the corridors for himself, with the vicious thoughts on the escort at the Pumping Station starting to flow through his mind. They remained with him as he continued to make his way outside and back on duty again.

---

The following day, the city became just as bustling as ever. The guards were back on full swing with their own patrols, and doing their own separate businesses. At this stage, Torn was seen in the Farm Section, guiding traffic around a roadblock set up by a herd of Yakkows which all suffered from a broken fence.  
"That's it, move along, all of you!"  
He pointed his hands towards the right, leaving all traffic to head their way towards the Stadium Section. While that happened, a small blonde haired girl in a fluffy white dress came towards him. She was seen in tears, tugging onto Torn's pants as tight as she can, hoping to get an instant response.  
"Hey, what are you doing here?" he shouted at her. "This is a restricted zone!"  
"But my kanga-cat's stuck in that tree over there!" cried the child.  
She pointed over at a tree hanging over the broken Yakow pen, and it was over there that a creature was seen in the tree. It was shown as a cat, but with a longer neck and tail, with a pouch across its front. Torn looked on at it, before looking back at the child, whom started to wipe the tears away from her face.  
"I'll get it down."  
He started making his way over towards the tree and started climbing up it for himself. He soon brought himself onto the same branch as the cat, and he was about to make a grab for it until… he started losing his own balance, causing him to fall back first into the Yakow pen, and the cat to jump back down to the ground.

---

"This Holiday season I expect you all to stand up to one another, and appreciate their presence in the city. Without my protection over your all they could have been torn apart by Metal Heads weeks ago…!"  
Later, in the Industrial Section, he was seen walking up and down a stretch leading from one of the Baron's loudspeakers towards the sewer door. But… while that happened, a fizz started to stir in one of the sentry guns. And then, it popped out of the ground and started shooting him, causing him to squeal as he ran out of there towards the Slums.

---

Another scenario saw him standing outside the Hip Hog Saloon at the port. He looked on at the scene around him, and barely saw anything around there. He then got round to going back inside his Krimzon hover bike, but… it was gone. He looked to the left, and saw someone hijacking it and taking it through to the Bazaar Section.

---

Dusk soon came across the city, and it was there that Torn made his way back towards the Palace. Once inside, he started putting up some Christmas decorations around the chapel with Ashelin. He started off on a large 20ft tree standing to the far right of the throne, and tried very hard to slip the baubles on in the right place.  
"I can't believe it, Ash", Torn smiled. "For once I've spent a day without a torment from Erol!"  
"You know, maybe he had other things on his mind or something", she lightly giggled back.  
"Like… what? Getting a gift for the Baron?"  
Ashelin raised an eyebrow at him, before she made her way to a ladder at the other side of the room. She took hold of one end of tinsel, and pinned it into a corner, trying her best not to pierce the glass wall as she did so. She turned back towards her partner with a curious look showing on her eyes.  
"You know, I saw him today heading into the Industrial Section. Strange location to roam around in, huh? And I thought the Bazaar was his place of duty for today."  
Torn gave out a shrug. "Maybe it could be a change of plan or something. Oh wait…" He paused. "Maybe he's betraying the Baron by taking alcohol at the wrong time at the wrong place!"  
"I wish…!"  
She gave out a light chuckle as she jumped down from the ladder, taking the other end of the tinsel to the opposite corner of the room. There she climbed up another ladder and fixed it right into place. While that happened, Torn got round to placing a fairy on the top of the fir tree.  
"So, got any plans for Christmas?" Ashelin asked him.  
"Not much. My home in the Slums is a lonely one. I can't recall any relations living with me at all. But I'll pop round to your place for Christmas dinner. How does that sound?"  
He gave off a light smile towards her, and while that happened, she turned around to see his face. They both climbed down from their positions, seeing a finely decorated room surrounding them. It was there that Ashelin came towards him, and took a hold of him by the shoulder.  
"You're so sweet, Torn!"  
She brought back her lips, and kissed him lightly upon the lips. And then, she walked out of the room, with a soothing look starting to show on her face. That left Torn to look on at her, gobsmacked by what he saw. As soon as she left, he started making his way out of the building too.

---

A few days passed, and it was there that the Krimzon Guard were ready to finish work for the yuletide season. With his own tradition, Torn was seen heading towards the fortress with his uniform in a black duffle bag. While that happened, he came closer towards a couple of guards, whom were seen blocking one end of the path.  
"Hey, you seen what Erol did today? He brought in some being that fell from the sky!"  
"I can barely imagine where he came from. Maybe a Metal Head attack blasted him from an airplane?"  
Torn's eyes widened, and it was there that he quickly slipped the duffle bag inside his locker before coming towards the pair for himself, wanting to find out more about the casualty. He soon stood directly in front of the guards, looking on at their sympathetic looking facial expressions.  
"Hey, what would Erol do with a man like that?" Torn asked. "I gotta see to the suspect!"  
"You shouldn't", replied one of the guards. "He's in critical condition."  
"Are you sure?" Torn growled. "Last time you told me there was a fire in the basement, and that was just a light accidentally switched on."  
Both guards ended up with a pair of anime sweat drops down their faces. Then, they both looked at each other and gave out light whispers to one another. Torn tried to listen in, but they sounded too faint to pick up the signal. And then, both guards turned towards him with straight faces showing upon them.  
"Okay, we'll let you through, but it won't be pretty", nodded the other guard.  
Torn gave out a courtesy-filled nod in front of them, and then he started heading his way down the corridors, towards a deeper part of the fortress. As soon as he vanished out of the sight, the first guard started to give out a few chuckles, looking amused by the actions that he just saw.  
"He's so going to get it, isn't he?"  
"That's what he gets for the grudges against Erol from day one!"  
They both started smirking and laughing together, seeing that they may have slipped Torn into a deep pit. While that happened, he himself was seen coming close towards the prison section. As soon as he got there, he looked through the doors, and a few flashes of purple light started to shine through the window panels.  
"What the-"  
The purple flashes continued to show through the window. Inside, Erol was standing with Baron Praxis himself, blocking the target of the light energy from his view. And then, they went out of the way, allowing Torn to see the suspect for himself. He was a male with spiky blonde hair and green eyebrows, wearing a prison suit. Above him, was a ray near him. The experimentations caused his eyes to widen with fear.  
"This cannot be happening to that guy!" Torn shouted with panic. "I gotta get him out of there!"  
He then tried to move away from the doors, but… he somehow noticed something pulling him back. He looked behind him, and saw his clothes getting stuck within the doors. That left him no choice but to tug the robes out… but at the price of opening them slightly, and causing them to click upon one another as they sealed shut again. The sounds caused Erol's ears to prick up.  
"I hear something, sir!"  
Praxis lifted his head up. "Where?"  
He pointed out towards the doors, and it was there that Erol crouched down, far away from their view. The vision of the angered look on the Baron's face left him quivering with fear at the sight, knowing that he might end up being in trouble. He then started running away from the door for himself, heading out of the fortress for himself.  
"Don't stand around, Erol!" beamed the Baron's voice. "Patrol the fortress for the intruder!"  
The doors were swung open, and Erol stormed his way out, looking for the stalker. He then brought his head around a few corners, looking for him, but… with no success. In the end, he ended up going past Torn, whom was seen taking cover behind a pipe near the exit back into the city.

---

In the early hours of the morning that followed, Torn was seen making his way back towards the palace. Once there, he started sneaking his way past the dormitories, trying to keep his nerves as tight as he can when he passed the Baron's. Upon approaching Ashelin's, he was there to express the full story out towards her.  
"I saw it with my own two eyes!" he spoke with fright. "It was like they were torturing that poor soul!"  
"Are you sure your eyes weren't deceiving you this time?"  
She rubbed her head lightly, trying to take out the sand that were still within her sleep-lost eyes. While that happened, she stood up and brought her Krimzon Guard uniform into a bathroom next to her. As she changed, Torn remained outside, looking on at the doorway in towards there.  
"Think about it", he growled. "How would you feel like if you ended up with a giant ray gun pointing down at you, shooting Dark Eco into your body?"  
"I don't know. If he's still alive, then I must admit that he's pretty lucky to go this far."  
With the thoughts of the suspect in mind, he lowered his head lightly, still shocked by all that he's just seen. At the same time, the door opened, and Ashelin was seen stepping out with her uniform on. She looked down at Torn and his worried expression, before stroking his head lightly.  
"But why would he want to do this? This is like… manslaughter!" he exclaimed with a higher tone. "I gotta resolve those issues and stop that from happening!"  
Ashelin started to follow him. "Torn, wait!"  
Before he could even walk out of the room and into Praxis's dormitory… he gave out a stop at the entrance. He then looked back towards her, whom was seen heading her way out of the building. She stood near a set of double doors, leading out into the main hallways, and then she turned back at him.  
"Let him gain his beauty sleep", she spoke confidently. "Besides, I'll speak with him later. I'm just worried if he'll fire you on the spot."  
The thoughts of Ashelin trying to tackle the scenario for himself started to roam through his mind. At the same time, he looked back at the sleeping Baron, trying to imagine what kind of scenario would unfold if he went head first towards him. Then, with a hesitant gasp, he turned back towards her.  
"Ash, be careful."  
She brought a hand up into the air, and gave up a thumbs up gesture with it. Then, she walked in towards the chapel, with the doors closing lightly behind her. After that happened, Torn carefully made his way out towards the lift, bringing him back down to the city. A tense time now seemed to be coming close… but at the wrong time.

---

The afternoon sun started to bring itself over Haven City, and it was there that Ashelin soon started coming towards her father. It was there that she managed to find him looking out towards the city from one of the Palace's support towers. After riding up the lift to see him, she carefully made her way behind his back.  
"Father, we need to talk."  
The sound of her voice caused his ears to prick in the air. And then, he turned to his left slightly, seeing Ashelin for himself. And then, he turned around at the full front, seeing him in full. He placed on a pseudo-reassuring expression upon his face, before he started approaching her with light footsteps.  
"Ashelin, what brings you here at this time? You're supposed to be at the Stadium on guard duty!"  
She lightly nodded. "I know, but there's a matter that I need to speak to you about."  
His eye widened at the sound of her concerns, and that left them to end up crossing the path back towards the palace together, going around several electric floor patterns as they managed to do so. Then, it wasn't too long until she managed to end up with enough confidence to speak it out for herself.  
"A friend of mine told me about something occurring within the Fortress", she started. "He said you were experimenting on a prisoner with eco. If it's true, why are you doing this?"  
"There are desperate times when the Metal Head attacks are getting bolder", replied the Baron. "We need a Dark Warrior to take care of the lot of them!"  
Without any second thought, she repeated what Torn said to her the following morning - "But it's manslaughter!"  
The last word that she spoke started to ring through Praxis's mind like an echo in a mountain peak. Soon after that, he started to clutch his fists with anger, before looking on at her. It was there that she took a few nervous steps backwards, still heading towards the palace for herself.  
"If you dare disagree with me," he started to speak in a more vicious tone, "then don't even think of being alive by the New Year!"  
He then took a hold of a blade strapped in on the right hand side of his body. As he pulled it out, it showed itself to be a long green light sabre of sorts. And then, he sent it straight down towards her, causing her to take a backwards step away from the wave of energy brought into the ground.  
"You can't do this to me!" she started to cry. "I'm your own daughter! And besides, the way you're treating the city these past few days has just got a bit on the rough side. First you forced your way through to ruling the city to take out the Metal Heads. Secondly, since you lost the left hand side of your face you've become more eager on taking them on than ever, for more than just the city but your own greed and power!"  
"LEAVE MY FACE OUT OF THIS!!!" Praxis shouted in return, his cry echoing every half-second.  
He slashed his sword again, causing her to take a few more steps back at the sight of his growing rage. She looked behind her, and saw a few steps leading towards the glass roof of the chapel. It was there that she knew that she would end up being cornered, almost knowing that there was no way to escape from the scenario.  
"All I'm saying here is if you leave the suspect alone," she continued to verbally fight back, "then that'll be a benefit to us. We can still find another way to take out the Metal Head leader!"  
"As long as I rule this city, it goes along my own rules!" exclaimed Praxis as he swung his blade closer towards her feet. "If you fight back one more time, then your days will be numbered!"  
He then took a tight grasp around her by the collar, and shunted her against the glass roof at such a force, surprisingly not enough to break them. She looked at her trapped position, knowing that she must have ended up into a sudden wrath starting to overwhelm her in an instant.  
She started to shake with fear. "You can't do this to-"  
"But your skin will only be saved if that 'friend' quits before Christmas Day! We can't do with another traitor like him, can't we?"  
Ashelin's eyes widened. Surely her father couldn't be talking about Torn, couldn't he? After all, he seemed like her closest friend to her. And it was there that she quickly started shaking, as she ran away from the scene, heading her way back down towards ground level to figure out these thoughts for herself.

---

Several more days passed, and it was there that Torn took a hold of his duffle bag once again, giving them to Ashelin, whom stood at the doors of the Fortress. He looked on at her with a grim face starting to show up upon his face, and gave out a light lowering of the head upon his face.  
"I'm sorry to see you end up like this, Ash."  
"No, it's not your fault", she shook her head. "It's mine for speaking up to him like that. I should have done it at a better time…!"  
She gave out a gasp, before she too looked down at the ground. Then, she took a hold of the duffle bag, and looked inside it. His uniform was still inside, looking just as clean as they were when he placed them inside the fortress several nights ago. With concern coming across her, she looked on at him with worry starting to show.  
"It's okay", smiled Torn. "But for your benefit, I'll quit the guard as it stands."  
"But it's Christmas Eve! You can't do that!"  
She took a hold of him upon her arms, with some tears starting to go down her face, knowing that she could be alone at some aspects of the days to come. Then, he started stroking her arm, trying to take a feel of the reassurance she was trying to bring into him. And then, he looked back out towards the Slums.  
"I'm sorry, but the Baron is starting to become colder blooded than ever", he sighed. "It's better now than later. Besides, I don't want to get picked on by Erol for much longer."  
The thoughts of Erol's "Boxing Day torment" were brought within his mind, knowing that he was lucky to be able to escape from his grasp, even if there might be a way across it. He then started walking down the path, towards the deeper parts of the Slums, knowing that his home would be in wait there. But before he could go around the corner to another street, Ashelin brought up her hand.  
"Wait!"  
She then started running across the dusty ground that made up that part of the slums. And as soon as she was half a metre away from him, she came to a stop. The plans for the pair coming together at the palace now seemed to be out of the question, now that Torn's final decision was made.  
"How are you going to spend Christmas Day now?" she asked him.  
"I'll still let you come round to my place. But don't tell your father about it, okay?"  
She gave out a light yet shaky nod over at him. A thought of sneaking out of the palace during the night was the first to creep across her mind. While that happened, Torn started shuffling in the pockets of his clothes, before pulling out a small black box into his own hands.  
"For now, you can take this as an early present", he winked on at her.  
He gave it towards Ashelin, and she looked down at it with a curious expression on her. And then, it opened up in front of her, showing a beautiful necklace holding a heart shaped locket right in front of her. She gave out a teary smile, before she brought her focus back onto Torn again, whom looked down with a soothing look brought upon him.  
"I'll miss you being a part of the guard", Ashelin said with a nostalgic expression.  
Torn placed a hand upon her shoulder. "It's alright. As soon as the Baron steps down from his position, I'm going back in. That's unless I end up with some random thought to fight him back against what he's done in recent times."  
Ashelin forced a giggle, and as that happened, Torn came close towards her, giving her a light kiss upon the lips, holding it in the position for 8 seconds. And then, he released his grip, and started making a light walk deep down within the streets of the Slums. This left her to slip the necklace around her neck, and keep her focus onto him.  
"Take care… Torn…"  
It wasn't long until Torn made a right hand turn down the street, bringing her out of sight from her. That left her to walk her way back towards the fortress, alone. To Baron Praxis, it seemed that he has lost a member of his Krimzon Guard army. But to Ashelin, she has managed to keep a firm grip, upon one of the most tenacious comrades that she has ever come across during her time within the Guard.  
And it seemed to them that it will keep that way for time to come.  
-fin-

---

"Glaciers of Haven" is © Rexy 2003-2004. The Jak II universe is © Naughty Dog 2003-2004. All rights reserved.


End file.
